


Killer

by 1RoseByAnyOtherName



Series: The Killer Chronicles [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - HBIC AU, Aromantic Asexual Alix Kubdel, BAMF Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Cheng family mafia, Chloé Bourgeois Redemption, Class salt?, Gen, Good Chloé Bourgeois, Good Friend Chloé Bourgeois, HBIC Alix Kubdel, HBIC Chloe Bourgeois, HBIC Marinette Dupain-Cheng, HBIC Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, HBIC Nathaniel Kurtzberg, I promise, I think?, Lila Rossi Takedown, Mafia Family, Marc Anciel & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug are Cousins, Mari is one of 5 mafia heirs, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Is So Done, Marinette Dupain-Cheng is HBIC, Marinette and Alix and Nath and Chloé rule the school, Marinette is MDC, Promise, alya is bad but then will get better, chinese mafia - Freeform, eventually, hbic au, just basically mari using her mafia ties to fix everything, let’s kick lila’s butt, marinette still likes Adrien but she has bigger things to worry about, that’s not relevant but i love that fact, there ARE still Miraculous, tikki hates Lila too
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-17 18:01:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29721084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1RoseByAnyOtherName/pseuds/1RoseByAnyOtherName
Summary: It’s a HBIC au!Marinette. The Ace of Spades. The Black Queen.Chloe. The Ace of Hearts. The Yellow Queen.Alix. The Ace of Clubs. The Red Queen.Nathaniel. The Ace of Diamonds.  The Blue King.Together they make the Royal Aces, and if there’s one thing they hate more than a bully, it’s a liar.Unfortunately, Lila Rossi is both.
Relationships: Alix Kubdel & Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Chloé Bourgeois & Alix Kubdel, Chloé Bourgeois & Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Chloé Bourgeois & Nathaniel Kurtzberg & Alix Kubdel & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marc Anciel/Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Alix Kubdel, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Nathaniel Kurtzberg
Series: The Killer Chronicles [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2195952
Comments: 97
Kudos: 281
Collections: HBIC Marinette, MLBFavorites, miraculous ladybug stories





	1. Chapter One || The Plan

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [élémentaire](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29140812) by [Starlit_Dreaming](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starlit_Dreaming/pseuds/Starlit_Dreaming). 
  * Inspired by [The Three Aces](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28888749) by [ChildOfHecate666](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChildOfHecate666/pseuds/ChildOfHecate666). 
  * Inspired by [The Reigning Queens](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25399609) by [Kitten Noirette (Lady_Avira_Cesselei_18)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Avira_Cesselei_18/pseuds/Kitten%20Noirette). 
  * Inspired by [HBBIC (Head Bitches & Bastard In Charge)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27401197) by [BooksRBetterThanPeople](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BooksRBetterThanPeople/pseuds/BooksRBetterThanPeople). 
  * Inspired by [Rossi](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24747196) by [parisique](https://archiveofourown.org/users/parisique/pseuds/parisique). 
  * Inspired by [Red Queen](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26351488) by [Lil_Sphinx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lil_Sphinx/pseuds/Lil_Sphinx). 
  * Inspired by [reign](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24594520) by [blackmagicforever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackmagicforever/pseuds/blackmagicforever). 
  * Inspired by [The Pigtails are Off](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25063828) by [para_dox_normal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/para_dox_normal/pseuds/para_dox_normal). 
  * Inspired by [The Queen Has Returned At Last](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26547934) by [yourfriendlyamateurwriter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourfriendlyamateurwriter/pseuds/yourfriendlyamateurwriter). 
  * Inspired by [To thine own self, be true](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27771466) by [Jade_Pearl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jade_Pearl/pseuds/Jade_Pearl). 



> So.  
> I love love love HBIC AUs.  
> And I love Chloé.  
> So basically this is a HBIC AU with Chloé, Nath, Alix, and Mari. Yayyyyyyyy
> 
> Legit go check out all the works this was inspired by, they’re all amazing and so unique. From the first moment I read a HBIC Marinette fic, (i think the first I read was Rossi) i knew I needed more. So I wrote one! The google doc is currently 5 chapters in, with more being written daily.
> 
> disclaimer: after much extensive reasearch (whoops that's redundant)  
> after lots and lots of research, i have finally figured out that no, i do not own Miraculous Ladybug. sigh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m still figuring out how to bold the texting bits, so please bear with me!
> 
> Edit: I bring you chapter 1, but with paragraph breaks this time!!!
> 
> My best friend said it was painful to read due to the lack of paragraph breaks, and as i am terrible at breaking up text, i knew it was true.  
> So i fixed it. Now they have no excuse.

The second Lila Rossi left the bathroom, Marinette Dupain-Cheng smirked from her seat on the floor. Lila’s reign had gone on far too long. Lila had already destroyed the majority of her friendships, (AND HER COMMISSIONS SKETCHBOOK) and now Lie-la had threatened her again. Her chuckle was dark and ominous, a promise of what was to come.

  
“Lila, Lila, Lila. How you will regret your words.”

Chloé Bourgeois stepped out of a stall, smirking as widely as Marinette. As she offered a hand to the bluenette, she asked the question that would begin the revolution.

  
“Well, Dupain-Cheng? What’s going to happen?”

Marinette took Chloé’s hand, standing up. The bluenette reached into her bag, hand brushing past the pins she had kept there for so long. In a flash, Marinette had her phone out and tapped on a group chat icon. Chloe nodded at the bluenette, then pulled out her phone and exited the bathroom. Marinette was quick on her heels, but turned towards the library.

  
**The Court**  
~  
 **Black Queen has renamed group chat: The Royal Aces**  
 **Black Queen: This has gone on long enough.**

Marinette had no reason to specify what she was talking about. Her friends knew what she meant. At the bleep, Chloé’s eyes widened. This chat had been abandoned for over two years at this point.

  
**Red Queen: Lie-la?**   
**Blue King: Duh. Who else?**   
**Yellow Queen: Arson?**   
**Black Queen: No arson, Chloé!**   
**Yellow Queen: None at all? No accidental burning of Lie-la’s house?**   
**Red Queen: No.**   
**Black Queen: Library. Now. Old spot. It’s time we meet again.**

Marinette stalked to the table next to the window, seething. Chloé walked into the library, spotting her old friend immediately. Alix and Nathaniel were quick to follow, and they all sat facing Marinette. The bluenette sat up even straighter, raising her chin.

  
“The court is in order.”

The three teenagers facing Marinette felt their eyes widen. Chloé was the first to break the silence that had come after the bluenette’s announcement.

“After two years?”

  
Marinette nodded once.

“Dupont still knows us. And the ones that don’t will.”

Chloé grinned at that statement, looking at the pink-loving girl in front of her fondly.

  
“It’s time for the little bitch to learn,” Alix said. “And we’re going to teach her.”

  
Nathaniel nodded, grinning. He snapped to attention when he heard the words she spoke, the ones that they hadn’t used since the last liar.

  
“Aces. We need the Aces.” Alix’s eyes widened slightly, but she nodded.

  
“Get Aurore on the blog. I’ll write the message myself.”

Chloé nodded, finally happy. The court was back together, and she didn’t have to bully her best friend anymore. Marinette began writing the letter, her cursive jagged, a promise of what was to come. It was the cursive that Marinette had practiced, making sure it was worthy of school royalty.

_**The Court is back in session,** _   
_**The Aces are out to play,** _   
_**Security is a falsehood,** _   
_**The liars are going to pay.** _

_**\- The Aces** _

Marinette nodded as she worked, writing out a rhyme that only she could hear.

  
“Get Aurore and Mireille to publish this at midnight. On the dot. Mass text, too. Whole school. Have the deck pins ready, Ace of Hearts.”

Chloé nodded at the bluenette’s instructions, noting the use of her code name. She had two, just like the rest of the group. Alix was the Ace of Clubs and the Red Queen. Nath, being the only male, was Ace of Diamonds and the Blue King. Chloé was the second in command of the group, which meant she held more power than the other two. Her code names were, in her opinion, the best, but that was just her.

She took pride in being the Ace of Hearts and the Yellow Queen.  
And of course, that left Marinette. The leader. Ace of Spades, the strongest playing card. And the one that meant the most to the students of Françoise Dupont. The Black Queen. Marinette had ruled with an iron fist against bullies, only stepping down when they were all eradicated. Chloé was snapped out of her train of thought as Marinette said something.

“Uniforms tomorrow, Aces. We’re going to show Dupont what being a Royal really means, and what happens when you piss off all four of them.”

The Aces stuck together, no matter what. Irritate one, you were suddenly on the bottom of the food chain. Irritate two, you were so low down on the food chain nobody noticed you. Irritate three, you were virtually dead. Even the teachers listened to the Aces. They could sit you in the back of the class, for the rest of your school life.

Irritate four Aces, well, that had never happened. Nobody had ever pissed off an Ace, either. That was a new level of terrifying. Even the Aces were at a bit of a loss as to what to do. But not for long. A closed pin was pressed into Chloé’s hand, and she startled slightly. Looking at the pin, the blond heiress smirked. It was her pin. She tucked it into her bag, noticing Alix and Nath do the same.  
Nath smirked, pushing his hair out of his eyes. 

“It’s takedown time.”

  
They stayed in the library until lunch ended, and then even for a bit more. It didn’t matter, because the Aces never got detention. To outsiders, their conversation just sounded like chatter. But to someone who knew the code, it was planning. Planning, and plotting. Revenge was in the air, and somehow, perhaps miraculously, the library stayed empty of students.

  
“Guys. I’m MDC. The sketchbook Alya tore up? Not a sketchbook. That’s around a tenth of the designs for my website, including 15 celebrities that need outfits by next week.”

Marinette finally said her reason for needing Lila gone, and Chloé understood immediately.

  
“How many people know, Mari?”

  
Marinette pressed her lips together, a grim version of a smile.

“You. Nath. Alix. Gabriel Agreste. Your mom. Jagged and Clara. That’s it, and don’t tell anyone.”

  
Chloé leaned back, impressed. She had no doubt that Marinette was MDC, it made too much sense to even attempt to deny.

  
“And Alya ripped up one of your commissions notebooks?”

The bluenette nodded, a single tear falling from her eye. She whisked it away sharply, not even acknowledging it.

  
“That bitch. Can we please sue her?”

It was the only boy in the ground who spoke. Chloé nodded.

  
“Mari, do you want to sue as yourself or MDC?”

Marinette tilted her head to the side, looking at Chloé.

  
“Both. I can delay our class’ orders, send them an email. I’ll sue them as Marinette for destruction of property, MDC for….Chloé? What can I sue them for as MDC?”

Chloé grinned. She had memorized the majority of the French laws by grade 3, all of them by grade 6. She knew all the bylaws and loopholes, and how to get away with arson. (Not that she ever had needed to, but she did set fires.)

She quickly explained every single detail of what Lila Rossi could be sued for, and then some more that Lila could be fined for.

Chloé was the smart, intimidating one, Marinette was the clever, brutal one, Nathaniel was the terrifying, sneaky one, and Alix was the bossy, cruel one. They all complemented each other beautifully. Because they were the Royal Aces. And the Royal Aces didn't lose. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I learned how to bold text muahahaha
> 
> Edit: rich text is glitching. Is it just me?


	2. Chapter 2 || The Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Royal Aces (hereby known as the RAs) arrive at school

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes. It is I.  
> It’s been like, an hour.  
> And I am posting another chapter.  
> I just couldn’t resist XD
> 
> Enjoy?
> 
> Edit Mar. 3rd: paragraph breaks? what are those? I'm fixing them.

Chloé tapped on the group chat icon, typing a message.

**_Yellow Queen: Nath, I’m picking you up first. Be ready in 5. Alix, you’re second. 7. Mari, 10._**

Marinette smirked as she read the message. The Court was back. And they were taking Chloé’s limo, just like the old days. She pulled on her blazer, looking in the mirror. The bluenette had finished the outfits 4 hours after she had gotten home from school (read: plotting) and she fell asleep right after the outfits had been delivered. She was wearing a white dress of her own design (duh), and she loved it. It was sleeveless, tight(ish) to the waist, and then it poofed slightly.

The skirt was gathered at the waist, giving it the appearance of slight pleats. It fell to her knees, and she smoothed the tulle down. Alix’s and Chloé’s were the exact same, down to the colour. Oh, but Alix was wearing shorts underneath. So was Marinette, but she wasn’t telling anyone that. The blazers were where their outfits differed. Marinette’s blazer was a pure black denim, so black it was scary. Alix’s was a blood red denim, matching her hair. She had dyed it last night to match. Chloé’s was yellow denim, but not her traditional bright yellow. A deep, golden, strong yellow. They all had a white symbol appliquéd on the back, matching their “suit”.

Marinette’s was a spade, Chloé’s a heart, Alix’s a club. Underneath the symbol, embroidered in white thread, said the one thing the students feared the most. 

**_Royal Aces._ **

Those were the Queens’ outfits. Then there was the King. Black jeans. White shirt. A deep blue tie, matching his blazer. Darker-than-navy blue denim, with a white diamond on the back. The words were the same as all the other jackets. 

Nathaniel pinned his pin on, unknowingly doing it at the same time as all the other Royals. The golden crown winked up at him, the blue gems tantalizingly shiny. The Blue King ran a finger over the pin, and grabbed his bag. Lila Rossi was going to have a hell of a time figuring out this one. He hopped in the waiting limo, sitting across from Chloé. 

“Chlo. Good to see you not in sunglasses for once.”

She wrinkled her nose at him, tossing him a belt. 

“Put the belt on. It’s the final accessory.” Chloé tossed her hair, which was loose for once.

Nathaniel noted a yellow golden belt on her, matching her blazer. He slid the belt into place, admiring the final result.

“We look good.” 

Chloé scoffed, but nodded.

“Of course we do, Nath. We’re the Aces. We’ve got Marinette, or rather, MDC.”

Marinette’s design business had blown up in the past year, but she had chosen to stay anonymous. The only people who knew she was the elusive designer MDC were Gabriel Agreste, Audrey Bougouris, Chloe, Alix, and Nath.

Her parents probably suspected, what with all the international shipping she had been doing, but had never asked her. Somehow, they were already at Alix’s house, and the red haired girl hopped into the car. 

“Blue, Yellow.”

Chloé didn’t respond, only tossed a belt at her. 

“Put it on, Red Queen. No time to chat. We need to get to Mari’s house.”

The limo practically purred through the streets of Paris, never stopping. Marinette slid into the car, already holding her hand out for the belt. 

“Thank you, Chlo.”

Marinette would be lying if she said there were no butterflies in her stomach, but she wasn’t scared. No, it was the opposite. It was excitement. She—they were finally going to take Lie-la Rossi down. She slid into her spot, looking at her three friends. 

“Are we ready?”

She got a chorus of nods from the Aces. 

“Then let’s rock this.”

She put her hands in the center of their little circle, and it suddenly felt like it hadn’t been four years since they had last done this. Chloé added her hands, making a point. Alix added her hands next, making another point. Nathaniel made a flat line with his hands and hovered it underneath the three girls’. All four teenagers smiled softly, remembering when they had made the handshake. It resembled a crown, just like their symbol. They had been 10 the day Chloé suggested a handshake, and Marinette remembered her reaction vividly. The four had stayed up all night creating it. Five years later, it was muscle memory. The limo pulled up in front of Françoise Dupont, and they could hear the chatter inside the school stop at a single cry. 

“Aces. Are. You. Ready.” It was Marinette who voiced their war cry, just like always. 

“Ready, Black Queen.” Nathaniel’s reply was soft, his mind elsewhere. Chloé elbowed his ribs gently, bringing him back to reality. 

“The Yellow Queen is ready.” Chloé’s reply was a traditional one for the group, and Alix was quick to voice her answer as well. 

“Red Queen is in position. Let’s go in.” 

The chauffeur opened the door, and Marinette stepped out of the car. Chloé quickly followed, standing beside her. Nath and Alix flanked them, bodyguards as much as royals. The second they were in the school, Chloé silently looked around, not moving her head from where it was held. It looked like the whole school was in the courtyard, except for their own class. She could tell that Marinette noticed the same thing, because Chloé watched her best friend’s brow crinkle slightly. After a long moment, the bluenette spoke, and nobody dared to breathe. 

“We are the Aces. And we have returned.”

That was all she needed to say, because it was the Aces. As Marinette had said earlier, ‘everybody knows the Aces. And the ones who don’t will.’

The leader of the group stayed in position, not moving. The second the crowd noticed, a hush fell over them again. Chloé spoke up this time, knowing that Marinette would say no more. 

“You’ve read the announcement, you know what to do.”

The blonde snapped once, and all attention was drawn to a redheaded girl who stepped up next to the group. She was holding a large bag, and the older students gasped. They knew that bag. Alix spoke this time, the switching of speakers keeping the students on their toes. 

“These pins are everything. They are safety, they are popularity, they are what will keep you alive. For every person that gets one, there will be another person safe. You have a week to convince us that you should get one.”

Nathaniel spoke up, addressing the younger half of the crowd. 

“Ten years and younger don’t need these pins. The Royals aren’t cruel.”

They had decided on a safe age, because the elementary students, despite attending the same school, had no need for them. Marinette spoke again, her voice just soft enough that the room had to be silent to hear it. 

“There are 300 pins. Teachers will need them too.”

With a flick of her hand, Sabrina melted back into the crowd, and Marinette continued talking. 

“And don’t think of ambushing Sabrina. Those aren’t the real pins, anyway. Now. For the last announcement. For students that have been here for more than 3 years, you will remember us. For new students, we’ll introduce ourselves. We are the Royals. You will also hear us called the Aces. Two years ago, we disbanded. We wanted to live like normal students. But in light of recent events, we have made a decision. The court is back in session, and the Aces are out to play. Security is a falsehood, and liars are going to pay.”

Marinette paused, letting Chloé continue. 

“Now, we’re not going to tell you our names. That’s up to your friends.”

Alix hopped in. 

“Cross us and die. We have nothing to lose. You have everything.”

Nathaniel made the next statement, waiting a beat before starting. 

“This is a warning, Françoise Dupont. Rumours will be squashed like a bug. The Aces hate lies, and there are a lot here.”

Marinette finished the statement at last, releasing the anxious teenagers. 

“Remember, these aren’t empty threats. These are promises, made by the Aces. And the Aces don’t break promises.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And no i don’t know why Sabrina has a empty bag.  
> It’s symbolic.  
> Yes.  
> Let’s go with that.


	3. Chapter 3 || The Explanation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I bring you this chapter, but beta-d (betaed?) this time!!! Tsm to Calico_Chatty for beta-ing!!!

Ayla grabbed Nino’s arm, not noticing how pale he was. Adrien was behind her, looking a mix of confused and mad. Alya hadn’t seen the Aces, but she had heard the speech. The voices sounded familiar, but she couldn’t place them. 

“Nino. What was that? Who are the Aces?” Alya was whispering, because although she didn’t know what was going on, her spidey senses were telling her it was safer to stay quiet. Adrien echoed her, asking the same thing. Kim spoke up, and apparently had no qualms about being loud. 

“The Aces are dangerous.” Juleka spoke next, her voice shaking. 

“They’re like the Plastics, everything. An irritated Ace makes Regina George look like a cuddly puppy.” Alya frowned, not understanding. 

“But all of those cliques got torn down. Bullies never last.” Max shook his head, pushing his glasses up his nose. 

“The Aces aren’t the bullies. They stop the bullies. They get bad teachers fired and look cute doing it. They’re called many things, but when they wear their Ace jackets, we call them Ace of Spades, Ace of Hearts, Ace of Clubs, and the Ace of Diamonds.” Alya frowned, but nodded, she was starting to get it. 

“And they were wearing their Ace jackets today?” Rose nodded, whimpering. 

“They weren’t just wearing their jackets, Alya. They were wearing the uniform. This is serious.” And...Alya was lost again. 

“And they’re also the Royals?” Nino nodded, still pale and quavery. 

“They have two nicknames each. The leader is Ace of Spades. Her Royal name is Black Queen. She’s famous. The second in command is Ace of Hearts. Her Royal name is The Yellow Queen. Then there’s the two secondary Royals, but they have just as much sway as the Black Queen herself. There’s The Ace of Clubs. Her other name is the Red Queen. And then there’s the only male. Ace of Diamonds, Blue King. They’re all best friends, they all hate bullies, and if one gets irritated, your social life is over. They’re terrifying, and they rule the school. Cross them and you’re dead.” Alya raised an eyebrow, not believing him one bit. 

“How much sway can a stupid clique have?” The class fell silent at her comment, and she spun. There, in the doorway, were four teenagers. Marinette, Chloé, Alix, and Nathaniel. 

“A lot, Alya. Be careful.” The warning came from Rose, who was suddenly hiding behind Juleka. The four teenagers took a step in, letting Alya look at what they were wearing. 

“Marinette, what are you wearing? It looks like a paper bag. And matching with Chloé and Alix? You hate them?” Half of the class gasped, but the reporter had no idea what she had just said. 

“I’m sorry, Alya. I don’t think I asked for your opinion.” Marinette’s voice was cold, colder than Alya had ever heard it. Marinette put a paper on Mme. Bustier’s desk, not letting Alya see the back of her blazer. 

“Well, I gave it to you. Take the jacket off, it looks stupid.” The rest of the class gasped, and Marinette raised an eyebrow. She marched forward, offering a hand to Alya. As Alya took her hand with disgust, Marinette began to speak. 

“Let me reintroduce myself, Alya Césaire. I am Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and these,” Here she gestured to the other Aces, who were flanking her again. “These are the Aces.” Alya scoffed immediately, not believing her. 

“Really, girl? First you bully Lila, now you’re pretending to be special?” Marinette frowned, and Chloé put a hand on her shoulder. 

“Pretending, Césaire? Puh-lease. Marinette’s the Ace of Spades.” Exasperated, Chloé turned to Nino. 

“Didn’t you tell her anything, Lahiffe?” Nino nodded, standing up straight. 

“I told her about all your guys’ names. I didn’t get to the part about who you actually were, though.” Chloé’s eyes narrowed, and she frowned. 

“We’ll deal with you later. Now we have to deal with this mess.” Alya started laughing, but there was a hysterical note to it. 

“There is no way that Marinette is a “Ace”, as you called it. Are the Aces really even a thing? You should take off your costumes, guys.” The whole class gasped, and Nino grabbed Alya by the arms. 

“Babe, stop now. One irritated Ace is scary. Two is terrifying. Three is peeing-your-pants level. Four hasn’t ever happened. Don’t be the first.” Nathaniel looked at Alix and Chloé, who nodded. Marinette smirked, but it was Chloé who spoke. 

“It’s too late for that, Lahiffe. She’s past four irritated Aces. What we have here are three pissed off Aces, and one who’s almost there.” At that, Rose started crying, and both Lila and the teacher chose that moment to walk in. Caline Bustier looked at the situation, silently judging it. When she looked at the paper on her desk, however, she gasped. Caline may have been a young teacher, but she knew the Aces. She read the note scrawled at the bottom of the page, and her hands started shaking. 

**_So you know the Aces._ **

**_They’re not just here to play_ **

**_Come and pledge your loyalty,_ **

**_You have until today._ **

**_~ The Royal Aces_ **

**_(The end of today)_ **

It was a clear threat, but it was the Aces. The heiress daughter of the Mayor of Paris and a fashion designer, (Chloe) the daughter of the best bakers in the country, who also happened to be close friends with both Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale (and one of 5 heirs to the Cheng Mafia) (Marinette), the daughter of a museum curator and one of the world’s best doctors, (Alix) and the grandson of a massive software company. (Nath) All-in-all, the Aces themselves were scary, and that was without their falimies being counted. Mme. Bustier was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Do as the Aces said and break the law, or cross the Aces and probably get fired. And then get arrested for breaking the law, because the Aces knew everything.

Lila Rossi was pissed. The second she walked into a room, she should be fawned over, and she had made that clear from the start. Instead, Rose was crying, Adrien looked confused, Alya was facing off with Marinette, and the whole class was shaking and pale. Except for seven people. Ayla, Lila, Maribrat, Chloé, Alix, Nathaniel, and surprisingly, Sabrina. Lila stomped her foot, wanting people to look at her. And look they did. Maribrat, Chloé, Alix, and Nathaniel were all wearing coordinating colours, and it looked like barf. 

“Marinette, how could you? You said we were walking to school together, but you never showed up!” The Aces all raised an eyebrow in unison, something that they had practiced. 

“I’m sorry, Lila, but you never asked me to walk with you. Besides, I already had plans with my friends.” After hearing that statement, Lila pulled out the fake tears. 

“B-b-but I’m your friend too, and friends are supposed to walk to school together!” Rose stopped her own crying and went to comfort Lie-la, muttering things about how mean Marinette was. 

“Lila, I couldn’t have known you wanted me to walk with you, because you never told me. Next time, don’t be afraid to ask! I know how hard it is to walk alone with your arthritis and tinnitus, after all.” Lila nodded, grinning inside. Maribrat was so easy to manipulate. 

“Oh yes, my arthritis is so bad it hurts to walk sometimes! You know, my doctor said I might have to go into a wheelchair soon!” Marinette tilted her head, and Chloé recognized the look in her bluebell eyes. She was about to go in for the kill. 

“I’m so sorry about the wheelchair, Lila, but I have one question.” The girl nodded through her crocodile tears, pretending to be forgiving. 

“Why does arthritis in your wrist prevent you from walking, Lila?” Chloé grinned, and she knew it was reflected in Alix and Nath. 

“You must be mistaken, Marinette! I don’t have arthritis in my wrist, I have it in both legs!” The second Lila said that, she remembered. She had told the class long ago that she couldn’t take notes because she had arthritis in her wrists. 

“Really, Lila? I thought you couldn’t take notes because of your arthritis!” The Aces had her backed into a corner, and the only way to get out was—wait. There was no way. It was the Aces. The Aces swept out of the classroom, leaving only one thing behind. A playing card. When Alya picked it up and read it aloud, the class fell silent. 

**_The Aces stick together,_ **

**_Like tigers in a pack._ **

**_You only get one warning._ **

**_You should watch your back._ **

**_~ The Ace of Spades_ **

Nino snatched the card, inspecting it. Years of experience taught him what to look for. The Aces’ symbol, as familiar to him as the feeling of headphones around his neck. He found it on the other side of the card, and he grimaced. Four symbols, corner to corner. In the center of the square they made, there was a crown. 

“They used the dual symbol, and she signed it Ace of Spades.” At the confused faces of his girlfriend, his best friend, and his girlfriend’s best friend, he explained. 

“The Ace of Spades is the most powerful card in the deck. And for the other question, The Aces and the Royals are the same people, but they’re different groups. The Aces hunt, while the Royals watch. The two groups have different symbols, because they’re needed at different times. The Royals have a crown, and the Aces have a spade, a heart, a diamond, and a club, making an empty square in the middle. But the fact that they put them together? This is a warning.” He read the words underneath the crest, first quietly, then louder. 

“The Royal Aces.” 

Alya scoffed, but quickly stopped laughing at the look on her classmates’ faces. “What does this mean?” 

Nino frowned, but it was Rose who answered. “It means we’re in trouble.”

  
  



	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Muahahaha

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ignore the summary it means nothing.
> 
> Thank you so much to the best betas south of the North Pole. You guys are amazing. I have no idea what this chapter would look like without you. Give a big round of applause to Emperess, Dpanda17, and SilverOceanJackson!!!
> 
> Also whoever invented naming each chapter can die in a hole please and thank you
> 
> Also yes i did up the chapter count. The doc is 6 chapters in, and it hasn’t even gotten close to the takedown yet.
> 
> ~

The classroom was silent, waiting for something to happen. It was Alya who broke the silence, her inner reporter needing all the details. Grabbing Nino, she sat at a random desk. 

“So. All of you. Explain.” 

And explain they did. Rose started, narrating the first part of the story. The one that started 9 years ago. 

“When we were little, we were all friends. We’ve been in the same class since diapers, actually. Even Chloé. There was once an incident when we were only 6. A couple of big kids were bothering us, bullying actually. Nobody knew what to do, until Marinette said something. Marinette used to be the shortest kid in our class, just so you know. So this short little six year old marched over to them, and just….told them to stop. At first, they just shoved her over, but then Chloé backed up Marinette, and the bullies stopped. They didn’t want to mess with the mayor’s daughter, and the somehow scary-looking 6-year-old just cemented their fear. It was like that for a long time. They were our protectors.” Rose took a breath, almost lost in her memories.

“And then there was McKaylia Johnson. That girl was horrible. She was a year older than us, so she was in fourth grade. And again, Marinette tried to stop her. Chloé wasn’t there because her parents were splitting up, and Marinette couldn’t do it alone. And then Alix and Nathaniel came to help, and once Chloé returned, they were called the Aces. There were four of them, just like the four suits in a deck of cards. Marinette was the Ace of Spades, the strongest card in the deck. They got stronger, and older, until we were suddenly in grade five and the Aces were the most popular kids in the elementary section.” Nino picked up the next bit of the story, nodding at Rose. 

“The first day of grade 6, there was a new boy, and he beat everyone up. The Aces stopped him, and got him expelled. But that wasn’t enough. They used their connections to get the enabler teachers fired. Like superheroes, they saved us. Soon after, we didn’t need them anymore, and they retired. After that, they had a new name. The Royals. Marinette was the Black Queen, because her colour was black. Chloé was the Yellow Queen, because her colour was yellow. Nathaniel was the Blue King, and Alix was the Red Queen.” 

Kim began to speak, his excitement making his voice rushed and loud(er). 

“The next year, in the middle of grade 8, they made an announcement. The Royals were stepping down. The Aces, too. They wanted to have a chance to be normal students. They weren’t leaving completely, though. They left strict rules in place to make sure they were never needed again. No bullies, or they would come. Everybody followed the rules, and the Aces changed. Nath started blending into the background, Alix started being Alix, Marinette became the clumsy, pink-wearing, stuttering girl she is today, and Chloé started bullying Marinette. But the Aces never returned.” Max wrapped a hand around his friend’s mouth, taking over. 

“Then, in grade 9, Alya, Adrien, and Lila came. Now it’s the middle of grade 10, and suddenly, both the Aces and the Royals are back. The reason we’re worried is because an irritated Ace is dangerous, but all four of them looked Pissed Off. If you have a pin, you’re safe. If you don’t, you’re in the crosshairs. The older students remember them and they can assure you that they were terrifying. With a single tap on their phones, your entire life could be destroyed. But they were fair, too. You heard them out there. The elementary kids don’t need a pin, because it would be useless for them to have one. The Aces don’t plan to involve them at all.” Juleka continued, her voice quiet. 

“The scariest thing about them? Once they’re mad, they have no mercy. They’re completely ruthless. And they all have even more connections than they did in middle school. By the looks of this note, they’re out for blood. And the fact that Marinette signed it as she did is bad. The Black Queen is scary. She can smell fear. But the Ace of Spades? She _is_ fear. She commands it.” 

Rose had more to say, but Alya looked like she was going to explode. She nodded at the reporter, who looked at the notes she had taken. 

“So Marinette is the leader?” The whole class nodded, and Alya gulped. 

“And she’s friends with Chloé?”

The class nodded again. 

“And they’re called both the Royals _and_ the Aces?” The class nodded, save for Nino. 

“Not anymore, apparently. The note says The Royal Aces. They’re more powerful with this name, because it’s less confusing. The Royals, and the Aces, being the same people? Confusing. The Royal Aces, though, that’s scary.” 

Alya nodded, but her frown was still deep, 

“And Marinette is called the Black Queen...because?” 

Nino answered in one breath. 

“Because she was the Ace of Spades. The suit called spades is always black, and the ace is the most powerful. Hence, The Black Queen. When she became a Royal, however, she couldn’t be an Ace anymore. So they all changed their names. From Ace to Queen. Or King, technically.” 

So Marinette was the Black Queen, who was the most feared person in school.

Sabrina piped up, the whole class turning to her in shock. 

“The clumsy stutters weren’t the real Marinette. The real Marinette is graceful and elegant. She and Clara Nightingale wrote the rhymes for the card.” 

Sabrina was a genius, and that was the reason she had the first pin. In three sentences, she had said the truth about Marinette, avoided the word ‘lies’, and reminded the class of her connections. 

“Why is Nathaniel an Ace?” 

Nino nodded, thinking before he answered. 

“Nobody knows. But one thing is for certain. He’s the sassiest of all the Aces. Remember, his grandfather makes software and his mother is Nathalie Sancouer. He’s also one of Marinette’s best friends.” 

True friends, he added in his head. Not like them. 

Kim reminded the class of something extremely important.

“They’re mad. You saw them.”

Before the class could start to wonder why, the announcement bell rang, and the whole class paused. The announcement was a traditional one from them, spoken in an electronic voice. 

**_By now you’ve heard the news_ **

**_The Aces have returned_ **

**_We’d thought you’d learnt the lesson_ **

**_The council has adjourned._ **

**_The Royals are not happy_ **

**_Our return was fully earned_ **

**_Our trust from you was thrown away,_ **

**_You’re under a liar’s sway._ **

**_~ The Royal Aces._ **

“Woah. They just rhymed a crazy amount of times. Alya, Adrien, Lila, you need pins. Fast. The Aces are going to wreck you all.” 

Nobody knew who spoke, but the whole class reacted.

Lila gasped. “Somebody dropped a pin off at my house this morning, but I threw it away because I didn’t know what it was!!!” 

Her crocodile tears came faster and stronger, and the class rushed to comfort her. All except for one student, standing in the shadows at the back of the class. Pulling out the phone they had been given, they typed a message. 

**_Jewel: Lie-la saying pin was dropped off at her house this morning and she “threw it away”_ **

**_Jewel: awaiting instructions, court_ **

**_Black Queen: Don’t pounce yet, Jewel._ **

**_Blue King: We need more ammo than that. It’s obvious she doesn’t have a pin._ **

The spy groaned as she heard Mylène’s offer. 

“I’ll go through your trash for you, Lila! I wouldn’t want your sensitive sense of smell to get affected!” 

**_Jewel: Mylène is offering to go through Lila’s trash._ **

**_Yellow Queen: OH NO SHE DOESN’T_ **

**_Black Queen: Chlo. One step ahead of you._ **

**_Red Queen: Jewel? Suggestions?_ **

**_Jewel: Yellow? Can you change the trash pickup to right as school ends? Yellow Queen: gimme 5 and i will_ **

**_Yellow Queen: Done_ **

**_Black Queen: Perfect._ **

**_Black Queen: Nath, we need a pin that will look like a knight’s pin but then change to a massive LIAR pin in 24 hours. How fast can your grandpa get on that?_ **

**_Blue King: fast. asking him rn_ **

**_Yellow Queen: What’s the plan, then, Mari?_ **

**_Blue King: He says he’ll have it ready by 6 am if he works all night._ **

**_Yellow Queen: I’ll pay him. Nath, will e-transfer work?_ **

**_Blue King: yup_ **

**_Yellow Queen: Great. 2000 enough?_ **

**_Red Queen: *wheezes*_ **

**_Black Queen: Alright. So. The trash goes out, Mylene can’t find the pin. (duh, there never was one) She tells Lila, and makes Lila ask for a new one. We agree when she asks, give her the fake pin, say that if she wants to survive, she needs to keep it on. it fuses shut, and she’s forced to wear the same shirt again. The next day it turns to a Phinoccio pin, and she has to wear it all day. It’s perfect._ **

**_Yellow Queen: That plan is so dumb it might actually work._ **

**_Red Queen: actually, it just seems dumb. This is Marinette we’re talking about._ **

**_Black Queen: I will sic Jagged’s crocodile on you._ **

**_Blue King: Save it for Lila, Mari._ **

**_Jewel: gtg_ **

**_Jewel: time to suck up to lie-la again_ **

**_Red Queen: XD i love how our phones no longer autocorrect Lie-la_ **

**_Yellow Queen: yeah it is pretty awesome_ **

**_Blue King: focus, ladies. Eyes on the prize here?_ **

**_Red Queen: sorry, your majesty_ **

**_Black Queen: I will remove you from the group chat if you keep talking. We’re literally standing next to each other. Phones down. Now._ **

The spy slipped back into the crowd of students, going to the front lines where she belonged. And one Adrien Agreste watched Juleka hide the phone, frowning.

“It’s ok, Lila! If you can’t find the pin we can just ask the Aces for a new one! If they already gave you one, they’ll for sure give you another!” 

“You’re right. After all, they already gave me a pin!” 

Ha. Ha. Ha. Juleka tapped the _end recording_ button on her phone, then uploaded it to the chat. After all, she had learned from the best. Lying outright to her classmates was painful for the black haired girl, and she adjusted her coat uncomfortably. Her hand brushed the pin attached to the inside of her coat, and she swallowed. Lila was going down. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the best beta ever, Emperess. You are amazing, and also? You know where paragraph breaks are supposed to go. 
> 
> My best friend is refusing to read this fic because the first chapter has no breaks.

The next morning, there was a table in the courtyard. The Royal Aces were sitting behind it, their hands steepled.  
Their uniforms were different from yesterday’s, and if anything, they were much nicer. Black capri leggings (jeans for Nath), and white shirts. The girls’ shirts were all matching, save for a few details. Short sleeve white shirts, long-ish, with a small breast pocket. The necklines and arm hems were the respective colours of the aces, and the rim of the pocket was the same colour as well. The symbol on the breast pocket was a new one. A spade, heart, or club, with a crown in the center.

The jackets were the same as yesterday’s, but a different style. With Chloé buying the material for the outfits, Marinette had a lot more to work with. The denim was the same colour, but it was more of a “denim jacket” style than a “blazer”. Nathaniel’s shirt looked like a sports jersey, with a blue diamond over his heart. Unbeknownst to the students, the back of all four shirts had their last names on them. Dupain-Cheng, Bourgeois, Kubdel, and Kurtzberg. The tiny letters were embroidered right below the neckline. Marinette, Chloe, and surprisingly, Alix, (they had no idea her hair was long enough for this) were all wearing high ponytails. The elastics were the same colour as their symbols, just like always. For the RAs, nothing clashed, and all their outfits were tailored to them, by MDC.

  
Around 150 students had already received their pins when Lila and the Akuma Class walked in. Tikki buzzed in Marinette’s pocket, outright mad that the liar had shown her face. Tikki wasn’t the best about the Lila lying situation, if everyone was being honest.

  
Ladybug had dropped the bee miraculous off at Chloé’s house last night, and the positive effect it had on Chloé was amazing. She was positively beaming at the lunch table. The blonde girl hadn’t even transformed, it was just knowing that Ladybug trusted her. Getting to see Pollen was just a bonus.

  
Marinette grinned as she watched her best friend. Marinette didn’t move as Lila approached, and the only sound in the room was Chloé’s nails tap-tap-tapping against the table. Nath put a hand on her leg to steady her, and she shot a grateful smile at him. As Lila reached the table, one of Marinette’s eyebrows raised. Slowly. This was part of the plan they had made. Nobody would speak until Lila spoke. They were not going to make the first move. And that was made clear around two minutes after Lila had arrived. She finally broke, ending the silence.

“I’m here to get a pin.”

Chloé scoffed, and Marinette poked her under the table, her nails sharp. The bluenette tilted her head, ruthless and commanding.

“And why is that, Lila?” Her voice rang out in the quiet room, and Juleka met Alix’s gaze.

Both girls rolled their eyes, smirking. Juleka had approached them as they approached her, her wanting Lila’s lies to stop, and them wanting her taken down. They came to an uneasy agreement, Marinette not fully trusting the girl. As Juleka looked at Marinette, she forced herself to fall back into the role she had to keep. She sneered at the bluenette, trying to look down on her. She was jolted back to attention as Lila spoke again.

“Because you gave me a pin before, but it got thrown away and then the garbage truck came!” Marinette nodded.

“I remember that pin. Too bad you threw it away. Luckily, we have another. Don’t remove this pin, because we will know and we will come. This pin is everything. Act like it.”

The sausage-haired girl was shocked into silence as Nathaniel handed her a pin. Was….was Mari-brat falling for one of her lies? It certainly seemed so. Careless as she was, Lila Rossi missed the calculating looks in the eyes of the Aces, and the uneasy glances of her classmates. The Aces had never handed out a pin that readily before.

Alix spoke, her voice hard. “Put it on, Rossi.”  
The girl complied, not noticing the heat it gave off.

Nathaniel watched closely as the pin welded itself shut. “Hey Lila?”

“Yes, Nathaniel?”

“Don’t get it wet.”  
The sausage haired girl nodded, simpering.

“Of course! You know, even if it did break, my great-uncle is Nathan Sancouer! You know, the electronic maker? He could fix it in a pinch, even though it’s not electronic!”

Nathaniel nodded. Yes, he knew his grandfather. Quite well, actually. His mother, Nathalie, allowed him to use his grandmother’s maiden name for school. They had just tweaked a few highly classified records, adjusted the census of France, small things, really. He stood up, ignoring Chloé’s hand on his knee. Leaning over the table, he rested his fists on it.

“Yes, I know Nathan Sancouer quite well, actually. Lila, he’s not your great-uncle.” She looked at him, then brought tears to her eyes.

“He-he-he is, actually! I see him every Sunday for brunch!”

The RAs rolled their eyes, but they were all celebrating internally. Lila had just walked herself into a hole. And they were about to fill the hole with water.

“Hmm. That doesn’t make sense. You see, on Sundays, he sleeps until 1pm, and then boxes for the rest of the day. So I’d say, no, you don’t know my grandfather.”

Lila whipped her head around, glaring at him.  
“What. Did. You. Just. Say.”

Chloé smiled pleasantly, not moving from her seat.  
“He said that Grandpa Nathan is his grandfather. Get over it already, would you? And move along, your outfit is hurting my mind.”

Having spent so much time together, all four teenagers had started calling each other’s grandparents ‘grandpa’ and ‘grandma’ (Nath), ‘granny’ and ‘grampy’ (Chloé), ‘gran’ and ‘gramps’ (Alix), and ‘nonna’ and ‘papa’ (Mari). But their favourite honourary grandparent was both Marinette and Marc's maternal grandmother, popo. The leader of the Cheng family mafia had practically adopted the RAs from the beginning, almost more readily than the parents. Because the Aces were practically a mini-mafia in their own right, and Marinette was clearly the leader. No matter how unspoken it was.

“Oh, is he your grandfather, too, Chloe? And he is actually my great-uncle, which shows what you know!”

Alix laughed, knowing that it was impossible. Nathaniel was the third child of an only child of an only child. Meaning that although Nathaniel had siblings, his mother, Nathalie, was an only child, and so was her father. Nathan Sancouer was literally related to seven people. Marinette scoffed as well, dumbfounded as to how Lila was so dumb.

“Grandpa Nathan is an only child.”

Lila glowered at the bluenette, quickly thinking of a cover story.  
“I-I-I know that! My grandmother and his wife are sisters!”

At this, all four Aces laughed out loud. Nathan Sancouer was gay. His only child, Nathalie, was born because of surrogacy.

“NATHAN SANCOUER IS GAY, YOU IDIOT.” A student in the crowd randomly shouted, and Nathaniel looked over to the culprit.

He rubbed his forehead, pinching his nose.  
“We were just getting to that point, Marc. Way to take all the fun out of it.” His words were harsh, but the tone was anything but.

The blue haired boy waved, grinning. “You’re welcome!”

There were around four people—excluding the other RAs—that could sass a Ace and get away with it. Marc had been one of them since always, what with him being both Mari’s cousin and Nath’s best friend outside of the Aces. Sabrina was one of them as well, and Aurore and Mirielle automatically got away with it. Sometimes friends were allowed to, like Adrien (for Chloe), but they weren’t speaking to him until his ‘high road’ crumbled from the earthquakes they would cause.

Lila ‘hmphed’, then whirled, flouncing off. Flouncing really was the only word for it. The rest of the school laughed, all lining up to get pins. Marinette and Nathaniel handed them out, while Chloé and Alix kept track. Sometimes, people would try to get two pins, for their friends who had screwed up in the past.  
The bell rang, bringing the RAs back down to earth. They handed out pins to the last of the students, looking at the list. Alix would consolidate the list in class, only leaving the people without pins. They walked up the stairs, nodding to Ms. Mendeleiev as they went. She smiled at her favourite students, tilting her bag of popcorn at them. They laughed, continuing to their classroom. Bustier. They pulled open the door, walking over to her desk.

“Bustier. Did we not make ourselves clear yesterday?”

The teacher, unfortunately for her, had not pledged her loyalty yesterday. Caline steeled her spine, getting ready.

“I respect your warning, but I have a job. And that job is to teach my students, no. matter. what. So I am aware you all have lots of power, but please. Sit down. I am still your teacher, no matter who you are.” The whole class was taken aback, but for different reasons.

For the class, they were surprised that Bustier had just crossed the Aces. For the RAs, they were surprised because apparently their teacher did have a spine. Alix recovered first, then placed a pin on her teacher’s desk.

“So you do have a spine, then. Use it.” Caline nodded, internally thanking Mendeleiev.

The purple haired teacher had told her to stand up for herself, knowing that the Aces would appreciate that. The four kids walked to the back of the classroom, taking the back two desks. Today, Mari and Nath were seated together, across the row from Alix and Chloé. Sabrina sat in the row in front of them, Juleka next to her. Seeing as that was Juleka's usual spot, nobody thought any less of it.  
The rest of the day passed without anything unusual, unless they counted the lack of Akumas. Soon enough it was patrol time, and Ladybug shot up on top of the Louvre. Scanning the rooftops, she quickly found Chat Noir. A few swings of the yo-yo, and she was next to him.

“Hey, Kitty.” Chat Noir looked at his partner, smiling when she sat next to him.

“Hey, M’Lady.” She smiled at him, but her mind was elsewhere. “Are you ok, Ladybug?”

She didn’t answer, jolting to attention when Chat nudged her shoulder with his.  
“Oh! Yeah, sorry. I’m fine. Are you, though? You look worried.”

Chat shrugged, and it was her turn to bump his shoulder. “I guess worried is a good way to put it. In my school—no, I won’t give away any personal information, Ladybug—there were these kids. One was kinda ignored all the time, one was a brat but in a good way, one was really sporty, and then the last one was a total sweetheart. She’s the best friend somebody could have. Anyway, apparently they’re all friends? And they rule the school? And I told Ma—the last girl I was telling you about, I’ll call her Pink, for this conversation. So Pink is now like, out to get this lying girl, and I’m just worried. Worried because she said she wouldn’t go after her, and worried because she hates C—Yellow. But now they’re friends. And they control the whole school.”

Marinette frowned. That sounded a whole lot like the Aces to her. Pink? Yellow? That could totally be her and Chloé. It fit, too. But it couldn’t be—Chat had called Dupont an elementary school. And she had created an illusion that she wasn’t Marinette. He could have been lying. She stood up, offering Chat her hand.

“C’mon, Chat. We have to patrol. You can tell me more about them on the way.”

He nodded, standing up. They took off across the rooftops of Paris, but they had both lied. Neither of them mentioned the Aces again.


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We (the RAs) are starting to plot. 
> 
> Muahaha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy! Thank you so so so so so much to Diedie from discord for beta-ing this chapter!
> 
> I have two things to say.  
> 1) Nathaniel Kurtzberg is an adorable evil bean,  
> And  
> 2) alright there was really only one thing.  
> Enjoy!!

Lila Rossi was standing in her room, fighting with her pin. It wasn’t coming off from her shirt, and she couldn’t wear the same shirt twice. Sighing, she pulled the shirt off, over her head. She would have to wear a hoodie and say her pin was underneath. The second the built-in heat detector noticed a change in temperature, it did two things: sent a notification to Nathaniel’s phone, and began playing a song. 

“Lila put your pin back on, pin back on, pin back on! Lila put your pin back on, put it on right nowwwww!” 

Glaring at the pin, Lila grabbed it, but it was too late. The song, based on “Polly put the kettle on”, had already wormed itself into her brain. She pulled the shirt on, but not before dousing it in deodorant. The irritating song stopped, only to start up again when she lifted it away from her chest. She sighed, hearing her mother’s voice yelling from the room next door. 

“LILA ROSSI, TURN THAT NONSENSE DOWN RIGHT THIS INSTANT! I AM TRYING TO GET 5 MINUTES OF SLEEP BEFORE I HAVE TO LEAVE FOR CANADA!” 

Every month, Lila’s mother left for a week, to visit Lila’s older sister. Genivia Rossi was 21 years old, and had taught Lila everything she knew about manipulating people. Via lived with their aunt and uncle, who kept her close at all times. The last time they had seen each other was three years ago, just before Nathaly and Nathania Sancouer had convinced everyone that Genivia was a liar.  
Wait.  
Sancouer.  
Seriously, how obsessed was this family with the names starting with ‘Nath’? There was Nathan Sancouer, then his only child, Nathalie, then her three children, Nathaly, Nathania, and Nathaniel.  
This was too much.  
“Sorry, Maman!” The brown-haired girl looked somber, for real this time. When would her mother ever pay attention to her, at least in a positive light? Right. Never. Thanks to Genivia, all Mme Rossi ever thought of when she saw her daughters was ‘disappointment’. Which was why Lila acted up. Lila shook her head. No time for real emotions.  
She walked out of her apartment door, not bothering to say goodbye to her mother. She looked at the granola bar she had grabbed for breakfast, then groaned. Pecan Walnut, the worst flavour. Jamming it into her backpack, Lila began the 5 km walk to school. 

On the other side of the city, Marinette Dupain-Cheng was crouched on the floor, poking Chloé’s shoulder.  
“Chlo. Wake up.” The blond girl grumbled, rolling over. Marinette looked at Alix, who raised an eyebrow. Rolling his eyes, Nath tapped his phone, then put it next to her ear. An irritating song rang out, and just about everyone in the city began to wonder if Nathaniel had an obsession with the song Polly Put The Kettle On.  
“CHLOÉ, CHLOÉ, WAKE UP NOW, WAKE UP NOW, WAKE UP NOW! CHLOÉ, CHLOÉ WAKE UP NOW OR WE’LL BE LATE TO SCHOOLLLLLL.” A hand shot out of the blankets, snatching the phone out of Nath’s hand.  
“Fuck you, Kurtzberg.” The redhead laughed, then flopped over, his back against the ground. Using Chloé’s stomach as a pillow, he pretended to snore. Alix and Marinette shared a look, practically reading each other’s minds. Then they dove at the sleepy teenagers, tickling them.  
The Aces may have been terrifying and formidable, but they were still teenagers. Teenagers with a sense of humour. Chloé squirmed away, practically dying of laughter.  
“Nooooooooo! No tickles!” The two ticklers grinned, then abandoned Nath on the floor, moving to Chloé. Chloé caught Nath’s gaze, and the boy nodded. She twitched her eyes over to Marinette, the most ticklish of the four. He pounced, and Marinette was reduced to a pile of laughter.  
“Ok ok ok! Truce!” By that time, all four kids had tears pouring out of their eyes from laughing so hard.  
Nathaniel nodded, offering the bluenette his hand. She took it, standing up before yanking it. He toppled to the floor, laughing.  
“Well played, Mari.” She curtsied demurely, before looking at her phone. All traces of humour in her gaze were gone when she realized the time. 

“Frick. We’ve got a meeting with the heirs and Simone in like, 5 minutes.” 

The Aces sprung into action, Nath booting up Marinette’s computer, signing in. As that loaded, he yanked on his newest outfit. Marinette finished changing first, her years of practice coming in handy. Yanking a brush through her hair, she clipped a barrette in and left it. Chloé and Alix finished getting dressed a minute later, and all four Aces linked arms. Spinning to look in the mirror, Alix gasped. These were the best outfits yet. Pure black skinny jeans, and floaty white blouses with embroidered details in their colours. Nathaniel had black skinny jeans as well, and a casual white t-shirt. The shirt had blue stitching and a faint blue diamond on the back. Chloé’s fingers were already dipping in and out of her hair, and in no time at all (literally) all three girls had intricate french braids. 

“Hello? Is anyone else here yet?” Marinette sprung to the computer with a cry of delight. She turned on the camera just as the other three Aces sat down. The girl on the screen—Bridgette—looked like an older version of Marinette. 

“Hey, Bridge!” Bridgette smiled, her eyes crinkling as she waved. 

“Mari! How’ve you been?” The younger girl shrugged but smiled back. 

“Eh. There’s a liar, and the Aces are back together.” 

“YES!!! I thought that was you, Chloé! Nath my man! Alix! How are you guys!” Just as the Aces were about to answer, another person joined the meeting. Marc. He smiled at everyone, waving. 

“Bridge! It’s been like, forever!” The blue-haired boy grinned widely upon seeing his cousin. 

“And it will be forever until we get started if you two talk.” Felix. The only Cheng heir without the famous blue-black hair, instead sporting white-blond hair. His younger sister, Taylor, crowded the screen, and everyone smiled at the seven year old. 

“As much as I hate to admit it, Felix is correct. Marinette, you called us here. Why?” Bridgette spoke, glaring at Felix. Despite both being heirs no matter what, they hated each other. 

“I’m waiting until pópo gets here. Then we’ll start.” Marinette answered quickly, hoping to defuse the situation. 

All of the other kids nodded, and Taylor piped up. “Why does Grandmother have to be here for this?”  
Felix hissed, shaking his head at the young girl. “Because Grandmother needs to be here, Taylor. Now shush.” The girl nodded just as the matriarch of the Cheng Mafia entered the meeting. 

“Wai pó!” Marinette waved at her grandmother, and Simone Cheng smiled at her grandchildren.

“Hello, everyone. Marinette, you called a meeting.” The girl nodded, worrying the end of her braid. 

“Yes. As you can see, Alix, Chloé, and Nathaniel are behind me. There’s a liar at school, and there’s only so much time before she lies about something more important.” 

Simone smiled at the RAs, already typing on her keyboard. The woman may have been in her early 70s, but that didn’t stop her from understanding technology as well—possibly better—than her grandchildren. 

“More important than what?” It was the oldest heir that spoke. At 16, Bridgette was only a year older than Marinette and Marc. Felix was around 10 months younger than her. Once Bridgette was born, the other three heirs had been born in quick succession. Felix, Marinette, Marc. 

Marinette shrugged. 

“She’s going to start using bigger lies. Bigger connections. Apparently, she’s had tea with two prime ministers and a queen. What’s next? She’s pópo’s friend? She’s a mafia heir? She’s the mafia leader?” 

Marc spoke, nodding. “It does seem likely that Lila will try to become bigger. If she knows anything about mafias, she’ll know that ours is the biggest. And as much as I want her to die, I don’t want her to die at the hands of another mafia, one who thinks she’s important.” 

Simone nodded, pursing her lips. “Thank you, Marc. As the Aces are back together, it is safe to assume that Marinette and Lila do not get along. Marc, is there a way to—” The teen was already shaking his head. 

“No. I’ve made it clear that I dislike Lila. It’s safest for someone else to do it.” Years of training taught them all to practically read each other’s minds, and even though Simone hadn’t said the plan out loud, they all knew what she meant. 

“Felix, then.” The blond boy nodded, sighing. 

“Bracelet?” The code word for befriending the enemy. Operation Friendship Bracelet, as the heirs called it, was the official term.

Marinette shook her head, frowning. 

“Arrow. I’m sorry, Fe.” She really wasn’t. Well, maybe she was, just a little. Even Felix didn’t deserve to have to date Lila, even if it was fake. Operation Cupid’s Arrow. It was the one operation they all hated, especially Felix. Woo girls—sometimes boys into trusting and loving them. Then get the information they needed, break the hearts of their girlfriend/boyfriend, and sometimes break their own. At age 7, Taylor had never had to do that. But one day. 

Luckily for the Chengs, wooing people fell easy to them. With high cheekbones, large blue eyes, and delicate features, they could capture a person’s attention and keep it. Even Simone called them ‘heartbreakers’. Felix flopped onto the table, his dramatic, goofy side showing momentarily. Felix had never really been the same after his last Arrow mission. Contrary to popular belief, the Cheng family did actually possess hearts. Everyone had warned him that falling in love with a Giovanni was a bad idea, but no! He didn’t listen. Felix barely made it out alive once Alexander Giovanni realized who he was. Falling in love with the heir of the Italian Mafia was not a freaking good plan. It was also incredibly Romeo and Juliet-like, a pure cliche. Two mafia heirs fall in love, and then it all goes south when the leader of one of the Mafias finds out. 

There was a big fight, a few dozen people got killed, and one of them was Annie. (It was a risk, of course. Being born into a Mafia was never easy.) Then, of course, Felix kind of died inside. He hadn’t done another Arrow mission since. 

“Fine. If I must. What exactly am I doing, by the way?” Bridgette smirked. 

“Making Lila fall in love with you, not falling in love with her, and then betraying her at the right moment.” Felix was the least likely to be recognized as an heir, or even a member of the Cheng family. He shrugged. 

“Alright. And we’re sure Bridgette can’t do this?” Marc shook his head. 

“We’re sure. To our extensive knowledge, Lila Rossi is not attracted to women.” Chloé’s hand shot in the air, and Simone nodded at her. 

“Yes?” 

“Lila Rossi will only date someone who will A) bolster her reputation, and B) is famous. Which is covered by my first point. But Lila will only pretend to like someone if it benefits her. Take Adrien, for example. She’s all over him, and why? Because he’s famous. So basically Felix somehow has to become famous.” 

The blond boy grinned, running a hand through his hair. 

“And who’s to say I’m not already famous?” Taylor grabbed his hair, pulling it gently. 

“You’re not, dummy.” They all laughed, laughing even harder at Felix’s pout. 

Marinette grinned, her mind lighting up. 

“He will be soon. Felix, how well can you model?” As he got up and struck a few moves, Simone looked curiously at Marinette. 

“Why, Marinette?” The girl spun in her desk chair, smirking. 

“Because I’m the fashion designer MDC. He can model for me for a few months. It’s perfect.” Bridgette dropped her textbook. 

“Is that the reason shipping was free and everything was a quarter off?” Marinette laughed, nodding. 

“Yup,” Marinette popped the ‘p’. “So, Felix Miller-Cheng? Will you become a model for MDC?” 

The boy nodded, and they got down to business. 

Nathaniel’s grandfather would revamp MDC’s website, Chloé would be paying for a room that Felix could stay in, and Alix, well, Alix would do something. After a month of modeling for one of the best fashion designers in the world, Felix would switch out of his online school—all the Cheng heirs had done online school at some point— and move to Dupont.

There was just one thing that needed to happen for this whole thing to work. 

Lila needed to take the bait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So all the Cheng heirs do online school because they can travel more easily, therefore can do missions more easily.  
> Marc and Mari are either stationary, so they don’t do missions, or they’re on a long term mission. I haven’t decided yet. 
> 
> Anyway.
> 
> You may have noticed that this is now part of a series.  
> Yup!  
> The next work over is a collection of fics (one fic per chapter) (i was lazy and put all four in the same work) about what life was like before the RAs, and before Lila. (Hence the name)
> 
> So yeah! If you want to know more about when Mari and Chloé started protecting against bullies, i would read it. 
> 
> Rn there’s four chapters.  
> The Destroyers (kindergarten to grade 3)  
> The Aces (grade 3 to grade 6)  
> The Royals (grade 6 to grade 8)  
> And The Normals (grade 8 to when Killer is set)  
> (Also Nath’s sisters are mentioned in The Destroyers, so yeah)
> 
> Here’s a link!  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/29868585


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I felt the urge to update.  
> tsm to Allizurus and Emperess for betaing!

The RAs sat behind the counter of the bakery, chatting. Felix was on the Zoom camera, and Nath was setting up a powerful projector. 

Marinette had suggested (read: forced) the nurse that because Lila had so many allergies, he should give her special lunches. 

And then, the next day, her family’s bakery catered a massive lunch. 

Chloé was the one to find out what Lila’s favourite kind of granola bar was. 

Alix was the one who had bought them all. 

They had no way to know if Lila was going to buy anything from the bakery, but it was better to be prepared. 

Luckily, Lila was the most predictable girl ever. 

Lila Rossi was 5 minutes away from school when she realized that she wasn’t wearing a hoodie. 

Crap. 

Pausing, she looked back towards her house, then towards the school. Her stomach growled and she glared at it angrily. Because of all her “allergies,” the nurse had given her special foods to eat early on in the year. And because Lila didn’t feel like eating 4 chickpeas and a carrot, she would have to go hungry until around 16hr. 

Her stomach growled again, and she looked at the Dupain-Cheng bakery across the street. 

Was it worth it?

Yes. 

Slipping into the bakery, she reached up to hold the bell. It wasn’t that she was going to steal anything, she just didn’t want anyone to be alerted to her presence. Buying a 6 pack of muffins, she made it out the door safely. 

All four RAs stood up from their positions behind the counter, flipping the camera back around to face them. 

Marinette scowled at Lila’s back. 

Explaining to Felix, Nath spoke. 

“So, that’s what Lila looks like. Hopefully that helps. Now, we’ve got to get to school.” 

Felix nodded. “And I’ve got to get on a plane. Mari, when will the new line be finished?” 

She shrugged. 

“If I skipped school, I could get it done today. But since I can’t skip school, they’ll be done by tomorrow, I’m planning to work all night anyway,” Marinette said. 

“That’s ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. Mari, you can’t do that. Can’t Uncle Gabriel or my mom help you?” 

“Nope. Gabriel’s mad because I’m technically competition now, and I haven’t talked to your mom in around a month.” Marinette popped the ‘p,’ flopping onto Chloé’s shoulder. 

“Couldn’t Gabriel ruin your reputation though? He knows your identity, right?”, Alix spoke, confused. 

“He legally can’t. When we signed a contract that said we were in no way affiliated with each other, he also signed something that said he wasn’t allowed to share my identity with anyone. I could sue him for a ton of money if he did. A TON.” 

Nathaniel and Chloé nodded, confirming what Marinette had said. 

“Ah,” Alix said. “That makes sense.”  _ It really didn’t.  _

“So, yeah. The factory is already making thousands of outfits, but I always make the versions that are actually modeled.By the way, Chlo, do you want to model my female line?” 

Chloé stared at Marinette, who smiled. 

“YES! YES I DO!!! Thank you so much, Mari!” 

The bluenette laughed gently, prying Chloé off of her. 

“Awesome. You and Felix will be modeling alongside Janie and Douglas,” Marinette said.

Alix tilted her head. 

“Janie and Douglas?” 

“My...how to put this politely…plus size models. MDC fashion has almost every size available. Only the maternity wear is remaining.” 

Nathaniel smiled. 

“That’s really nice of you, Mari.” 

The bluenette shrugged humbly. 

“I didn’t want anyone to be left out. Also because generally larger people are discriminated against, even though the larger clothes take more fabric, they still cost the same amount. It’s kinda like pink tax. People shouldn’t have to pay extra just because they‘re different. Now. C’mon. We’ve gotta get to school. Nath—Nath, are you crying?” 

He shook his head, laughing. 

“No, I’m merely getting dust out of both eyes at the same time." He rolled his eyes. "Yes, you idiot.” 

Grabbing Marinette’s offered hand, he went to push off the floor, then gasped as Marinette pulled him up literally singlehandedly. 

“Um, Mari?”

She looked back, then realized what she had done. Apparently, her superhero strength had popped in for a visit. She had just basically picked Nathaniel up from the floor with one hand. 

“Whoops. Mafia training?” 

Chloé shook her head, standing up herself. 

“No freaking way you got that from training. That’s like, superhero strength. You literally pulled Nath off the floor with one hand. And you did it easily.” 

Nath nodded. "Yeah. No way that was mafia trianing. Marc can't pick me up, and he has even more training than you." Alix looked at him funny, and he shrugged.

"What?"

  
  


“Um…OMG THAT’S THE BELL!” 

All four Royal Aces spun, then basically all began freaking out. It was Felix’s voice that snapped them out of it, however. 

“Will you all freaking shut up. Because you’re all at Marinette’s house, you can all freaking walk to school. And yeah, I know you have a limo, and a reputation thing-y to uphold, but I don’t care. All four of you are slipping from “fashionably late” to “actually, late slip, late. You might be the Royal Aces, but so help me if you screw up I will do everything in my power to keep it that way.” 

Then he hung up. The RAs looked at each other, then nodded. 

“Let’s go, ladies!”, Nath spoke, already at the door. Luckily, they had gotten ready before the meeting, otherwise they would be very late. 

The RAs arrived just as Homeroom started, opening the classroom door. Mr. Damocles strode towards them from beside Bustier’s desk, frowning. 

“You four! You’re tardy! To my office this instant!” 

As he marched out the door, expecting them to follow, Alix did the unthinkable. She shut the door behind him, locking it. He might have had the key, but it was the thought that counted.

The class burst into laughter, then remembered it was the RAs. The laughter faded, only to start back up again when Nath spoke. 

“Don’t try this at home, kids,” Nath said, smirking. The RAs swept to the back of the classroom, smirking as they went. 

The mood in the classroom was lighter than it had been for a while, thanks to the fact that the Royal Aces had done something a student would. It made them seem like humans, which was exactly what the RAs wanted. 

Make sure they seemed human.

Untouchable humans, but still actual people. 

Lila swept in soon after, sitting next to Alya. The RAs were pleased to note she was wearing the same shirt as yesterday. 

Perfect.

They had a job, after all. 

There was no room to get soft. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note: 16hr is equivalent to 4:00 pm. 
> 
> France uses a 24 hour clock. 
> 
> I kinda made a educated guess as to when Lila would get home from school.
> 
> School ends at like, 3:00, 3:30?  
> It takes 30 minutes to get home and unpack her backpack
> 
> So that’s like, 4:00 pm. Idk
> 
> Another note: also i decided that MDC Designs was like, really inclusive and stuff. Janie and Douglas are around the same age as the RAs
> 
> A third note: idk if France has pink tax, but it does here.  
> If you don’t know what pink tax is, google it because idk how to explain it. 
> 
> It’s basically tax on menstrual items


	8. Chapter Eight || The Interview

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to the most wonderfullest beta ever, Emperess.

_ MDC Releases New Fall Line! _

_ Felix Miller; MDC’s Newest Teenage Model _

_ MDC Introduces New Model! _

_ Felix Miller Takes The Fashion World by Storm! _

_ New Model for MDC?  _

_ New Model, specially chosen by MDC! _

_ Famous Designer MDC Has Signed New Model! _

“Don’t be bemused, it’s just the news! I’m Nadja Chamack, live from Paris. MDC has just released their new line, with a big surprise! The elusive designer has selected a brand new model, and we were lucky enough to get an interview! Here he is now! Felix Miller, welcome! Tell me, how does it feel to be the next Adrien Agreste?” 

Felix sat down on the chair, smiling. 

“Hi, Nadja. It’s great to be here,” Felix said. Shrugging, he spoke. “Am I the next Adrien Agreste? That seems a little far fetched. I’m just the new model for Ma—MDC.”

He winced at his slip-up, and Nadia leaned forward in her seat. 

“Do you know the identity of MDC?”

Felix shook his head, then shrugged. Adjusting his hair, he yanked out the ear piece. Marinette’s screaming was giving him a headache. 

“Kind of. MDC seems so formal, you know? It’s better for a business, but not so good for chatting. The models that they work with are allowed to call them Mar, for reasons I am not aware of. I will say, they’re lovely.” 

_ Deflection. Hopefully.  _

“But identity? Have you met MDC in person?”

“Technically, yes. But they always wear a mask.” 

_ Darn, maybe the earpiece would be useful. He couldn’t remember what to say next.  _

“Are there any clues you can give us as to their identity?”

_ Right, that was the next thing.  _

“No, but I will clue you in on a secret.” 

Nadja nodded, eager for anything. 

“MDC recently had a sketchbook destroyed by people they thought they could trust. There were many designs for both celebrities and their website in that book. It’ll be hard to recover from that.”

Nadja gasped, frowning. 

“My goddaughter also had that happen to her. It’s a tragedy. Please, when you have a chance, send my apologies.”

Felix nodded, somber. Noticing the air of sadness in the room, Nadja tried to cheer it up. 

“So, Felix. Where will you be attending school now that you’ve moved to Paris?”

_ Ah yes, right. He had moved to Paris, hadn’t he? _

“I will be attending school at Françoise Dupont. MDC hopes that even though I’m apparently famous now, I can still live a normal life.” 

Looking down at her paper, Nadja smiled. 

“Now, isn’t that the same school as Adrien Agreste?” 

Felix nodded pleasantly. _ Seriously! Enough with the Adrien stuff!  _

“That is. I was quite lucky to be accepted, actually. There are many famous people there, including Chloé Bourgeois, Aurore Boreale, Nathalie Sancouer’s son, Officer Rancomprix’s daughter, among others. It’s amazing, really.” 

Nadja nodded, but internally frowned. Felix Miller seemed so...humble. Just like Adrien Agreste. 

“Both you and Adrien are top models for different companies. Do you believe there will be a rivalry of some sort between you two?”

_ Now that was a good question. _

“Oh gosh, I hope not. I’ve always looked up to Adrien, and I hope we can be friends.” 

_ PFFFFFT. He hadn’t heard of Adrien Agreste before Marinette started talking about him 24/7, but it was part of the role he needed to play.  _

“What a lovely sentiment. Do you have any last words for our viewers?”, Nadja smiled, looking at Felix. 

“I’m sure I can think of something. Wait, can I? Let’s see…it’s good to be cautious.” 

He winced. _ Those were terrible last words. _

“Well, on behalf of everyone in the city, welcome to Paris.” Felix nodded gratefully, smiling. 

“Thank you, Nadja. It was great to meet you.” 

A few seconds after Nadja finished returning the statement, the cameras stopped rolling. 

As Felix exited the building, camera flashes went off left and right. He kept walking, not willing to stop. 

He had a job to do. In, out, and no murder. He knew he would be in at least one newspaper by tomorrow. That was the life of a model, apparently. He stepped into the waiting limo, waiting until it started driving to scooch forward. 

Nathaniel held his hand out for a high five. 

“Nice job!” 

It had been around 3 days since Felix had arrived in Paris, and two since Marinette had released the new line. As they pulled up to Dupont, all four RAs hopped out. Now? They had to spread some rumours. Sure, it was beneath them, but it would be fun.

“No way, girl! You really met Felix Miller?”, Alya asked, hounding Lila for details. 

Apparently, Lila had already begun spreading rumours. 

“Yeah! He asked me on a date, as well!” 

“Oh my gosh, girl! Can I interview you about that?” 

“Of course, Alya! Anything for a friend!” 

Turning on her camera, Alya began to speak. 

“Hey, Ladybloggers! Today we come from Françoise Dupont high school, where a very special girl attends! Everyone, this is my best friend, Lila Rossi! And she had the experience of a lifetime a few days ago. Felix Miller asked her on a date! Tell me, Lila, what’s it like to be the girlfriend of a supermodel?” 

Lila fake-giggled, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. All this attention was worth wearing the same shirt two days in a row. 

“Well, Felix is super sweet. I showed him around Paris when he arrived, and he said he was super grateful to me! He’s already brought me flowers!” 

“Awww. Is he basically the perfect boyfriend?”

Lila nodded, simpering. 

“He really is! He’s already taken me to meet his family, and they’re so nice! You know, his twin sister is like, crazy amazing. She wanted to be best friends with me, but I told her that I was already best friends with you! And then she hugged me, and said that being regular friends was fine, too!” 

“She sounds awesome! What’s her name?” 

Lila winced, but masked it with a giggle. 

“You won’t believe it, but it’s Lola! Our names are so close! It’s amazing!” 

Marinette muffled a snort. 

If Lila had ever met Felix’s  _ actual _ sister, she would have a completely different opinion. Taylor was adorable, but she had just learned how to tackle someone properly. 

The whole family had bruises. 

“Oh my gosh! That’s amazing! It’s almost like you two were meant to be together! He’s coming to our school, did you know that? I mean, of course you did, you’re dating!” 

Marinette loved how in less than 2 minutes, it had progressed from “asked me on a date” to “took me to meet his parents”. 

Freaking impossible. 

Lila paled at Alya’s words. It was one thing to lie about a person nobody would ever talk to, but to have the person she was lying about start to attend this school? That was not good. 

“Actually, he’s switching here because of me!”

Alright. That was enough. Marinette stalked forward, her metaphorical tail twitching in anger. 

Seeing the bluenette, Ms. Mendeleiev walked towards the edge of the balcony. Clapping twice, she dully announced something that made most of the students groan. 

“Excuse me. The bell has rung. Please make your way to your classrooms.”

“Well, you heard it here first! Don’t forget to come back for exclusive Ladybug content!” 

Shutting down the livestream, both girls made their way to Ms. Bustier’s homeroom class. Mr. Damocles was waiting by the teacher’s desk, and he smiled at the girls. 

The RAs walked in last, raising their eyebrows at the principal. The four had made it to their seats when he spoke. 

“You four! You disrespected me yesterday, and you will not get away with it again. I will be calling your parents.” 

Nathaniel raised a hand, waiting for Damocles to nod at him before speaking. 

“Is there any way you could possibly call one of my older sisters? My mother is Gabriel Agreste’s assistant, and he hates it when she has to take a call. And my father is in the Supreme Court, suing an American company on behalf of Gabriel.” 

Damocles grumbled, but nodded. 

“All right.” 

Chloé’s turn. She spoke, not even raising her hand. 

“My mother is preparing for Paris Fashion Week, and my father, the mayor of Paris, has a press conference. So please don’t call either of them. I would hate for my father to be forced to stop funding the school.” 

Damocles paled, looking at Marinette. 

“Any excuses you want to use?” 

Marinette shrugged. 

“Well, let’s see. No, but because it’s nearing a few holidays, my parents are swamped already as it is. I’m pretty sure my Grandmother has a meeting with Justin Trudeau today, but you could try her. Just remember time zones and all that crap.”

The whole class looked at Alix, waiting to see what she would say. 

“Oh, you can call my parents. But you’ll have to do it soon, because my mother has a brain surgery scheduled in around 13 minutes, and my father is in Egypt along with my brother. Again, time zones.” 

Damocles frowned sadly, resting a hand on Alix’s shoulder. 

“I’m sorry to hear that your mother is in need of brain surgery. However, that will not get you out of punishment.” 

Alix laughed dryly, shoving the man’s hand off her shoulder.

“Oh, no. My mother isn’t  _ receiving  _ the brain surgery, she’s the doctor doing it. Her name is Theresa Bonnie Kubdel. Maybe you’ve heard of her.” Maybe. Ha. Everyone had heard of Dr. Kubdel. 

Marinette raised her hand, and Damocles nodded at her. 

“Here”, She handed him her phone, tapping on an icon, “You can call my uncle J. He probably won’t be busy. I just have one question. Could you possibly put it on speakerphone so I can hear too? Sometimes he can be a bit hard to understand.” 

“Fine.” 

The phone rang for about a minute, and just as Damocles was going to hang up, a man’s voice answered. 

“Yo, Marinette! What’s up?”, Marinette placed her fists on the desk, smirking.

She flashed her eyes up, looking at all her classmates. 

“Nothing much, Jagged. By the way, how’s Penny doing? My mom said that 6 months in, it starts to get harder.”

Chloé burst out laughing, then reined herself back in. It was so like Marinette to call a world famous singer her uncle. Even if he was, technically. (Well, honorarily.) 

“She’s good, actually! We chose a name, did you hear? Well, of course you didn’t. We chose one today!” 

“Oh my gosh! That’s so exciting, Jagged! What is it?” 

“If it’s a boy, Charles Marin Keith Rolling-Stone, and if it’s a girl, Charlotte Marinette Penelope Rolling-Stone. Charlie for short, no matter what.” 

The laughter was back. But this time it was at Marinette’s shocked face. 

“Those are gorgeous names, Jagged. Marinette here loves them”, Chloè hip-checked Marinette, bringing her back to reality. 

“Hu—oh! Yeah! Those are really pretty names, Jagged. The reason I actually called is because the Aces are back, and Mr. Damocles seems to have a problem. We were wondering if you could possibly vouch that we’re not a problem?” 

“Ayyy! I love the Aces, man! And yeah, Damocles, the Aces are great. You don’t have to worry about them one bit. Now if you don’t mind, please give my niece her phone back.” 

In the background, there was a faint, “Jagged, I told you! You can’t go around adopting people all the time!” from Penny, and a “She’s Marinette! We’re naming our child after her! I can adopt her if I want!” from Jagged. 

“Uh-y-ye-yes, sir! Here you go, Marinette. Sorry.”

The girl nodded dismissively at Damocles. 

“Thank you.” 

Damocles left the room, seemingly forgetting about punishing the RAs. 

“Alright. Thank you, Jagged. Say hi to Fang, Penny, and Charlie for me, ok?” 

“Will do, Mari!” 

Marinette smiled, then disconnected the call. Adjusting her black off-the-shoulder chunky sweater, she walked to the back of the class. Her hair was in a messy bun today, with two strands framing her face. Chloé followed, Nath and Alix soon after. Marinette was wearing all black, the downside of being the Black Queen. All three girls were wearing sweaters in their colours, whereas Nath had a hoodie. With black leggings/jeans and flats, they looked adorable. But unfortunately, Marinette was running out of ideas. Which was not good. Very not good. 

Ms. Bustier began the lesson, ignoring the chatter that filled the room. 

“Jagged Stone?”

“Marinette?”

“Jagged Stone’s naming his kid after Marinette?” 

“They’re really close!”

“How the frick do you know that?” 

Chloé and Alix sent glares around the room, shutting all the kids up. 

  
  


**_The Royal Aces_ **

**_Black Queen: thank you._ **

**_Red Queen: no problem, Mari._ **

**_Blue King: ugh, people._ **

**_Yellow Queen: that was kinda awesome, M._ **

**_Black Queen: thank you._ **

**_Black Queen added Felix M-C_ **

**_Felix M-C: hello?_ **

**_Black Queen changed Felix M-C’s nickname to Felix_ **

**_Felix: oh it’s you people_ **

**_Yellow Queen: you people? What are we now, peasants?_ **

**_Felix: yes???_ **

**_Yellow Queen: rude_ **

**_Blue King: omg stop flirting_ **

**_Black Queen: no literally everyone other than Felix and I are peasants_ **

**_Black Queen: well, Chloé is kinda a gray area_ **

**_Yellow Queen: no u_ **

**_Red Queen: wdym you’re not peasants_ **

**_Felix: oh well grandma Cheng was knighted a while back_ **

**_Black Queen: and this particular knighting kinda extended to us_ **

**_Black Queen: so technically I’m officially Lady Marinette Dupain-Cheng_ **

**_Felix: and I’m Lord Felix Miller-Cheng_ **

**_Black Queen: and then also there’s the whole mafia heir shtick._ **

**_Black Queen: a lot of people respect us for that, too (well, Wai pó. They’ve never met us. But they respect our family in general)_ **

**_Black Queen: so yeah you all are literally peasants_ **

**_Black Queen: :)_ **

**_Felix: (:_ **

**_Yellow Queen: ew wtf why is your smiley face backwards_ **

**_Felix: (:_ **

**_Yellow Queen: stahpppp_ **

**_Felix: (;_ **

**_Blue King: ok literally stop flirting_ **

**_Red Queen: my mind can’t handle this_ **

**_Black Queen: y’all if you want a freaking group chat for flirting, effing make one, but no flirting in general_ **

**_Felix: did you literally copy that from discord_ **

**_Yellow Queen: omg she did_ **

**_Black Queen: f u_ **

**_Direct Messages: Felix & Yellow Queen_ **

**_Felix: We weren't flirting, were we?_ **

**_Felix: i am very confused here_ **

He really wasn’t. Yes, he loved Annie, but you learn to move on. 

**_Yellow Queen: idk_ **

**_Yellow Queen: it wasn’t flirting_ **

**_Yellow Queen: you put your smiley faces the wrong way_ **

**_Felix: no u_ **

**_Yellow Queen: ;)_ **

**_Felix: (;_ **

**_Yellow Queen: -_-_ **

**_Felix: ;)_ **

**_Felix: see now that just looks wrong_ **

**_Felix: don’t u dare_ **

**_Yellow Queen: watch me_ **

**_Felix: wait for ittttttt_ **

**_Felix: wait for ittttttt_ **

**_Felix: wait for itttttttt_ **

**_Yellow Queen: you look wrong_ **

**_Felix: called it_ **

**_Yellow Queen: ;P_ **

**_Yellow Queen: XD_ **

**_Felix: ok ok ok_ **

**_Felix: : )_ **

**_Yellow Queen: wtf why are there spaces_ **

**_Yellow Queen: it looks gross please kill it_ **

**_Felix: never_ **

**_Yellow Queen: i hate you_ **

**_Felix: I hate you too_ **

**_Yellow Queen: good_ **

**_Yellow Queen: wait not good i don’t want to be hated_ **

**_Read 9:34 am_ **

**_~_ **

**_11:44-_ **

**_Yellow Queen: please_ **

**_Yellow Queen: i don’t want to be hated_ **

**_Yellow Queen: Felix?_ **

**_Yellow Queen: please don’t have me_ **

**_Yellow Queen: *HATE_ **

**_Yellow Queen: *HATE I MEANT HATE_ **

**_Felix: XD_ **

**_Felix: yet you’re not denying the ‘have’_ **

**_Felix: so...is there anything you wanted to say?_ **

**_Yellow Queen: bitch you left me on read for two hours and 10 minutes_ **

**_Yellow Queen: I can do what I want_ **

**_Yellow Queen: anyway_ **

**_Felix: you counted?_ **

**_Yellow Queen: . . ._ **

**_Yellow Queen: no_ **

**_Felix: mmhmm_ **

**_Yellow Queen: 🗡i will stab you_ **

**_Felix: no u won’t_ **

**_Yellow Queen: yes i will_ **

**_Felix: i have 14 years of training from one of the biggest Mafias in the world_ **

**_Felix: i highly doubt you can stab me_ **

**_Yellow Queen: i will find a way_ **

**_Yellow Queen: Mari can help_ **

**_Felix: sure. Go ask her_ **

**_Yellow Queen: fine_ **

**_Direct Messages: Yellow Queen & Black Queen_ **

**_Yellow Queen: Mari will you help me stab Felix_ **

**_Black Queen: A) why_ **

**_Black Queen: B) no, we need him_ **

**_Black Queen: C) please don’t stab your crush?_ **

**_Black Queen: also Wai pó would not be impressed_ **

**_Yellow Queen: A) he’s asking for it_ **

**_Yellow Queen: B) after?_ **

**_Yellow Queen: C) hmph_ **

**_Black Queen: so you do like him_ **

**_Yellow Queen: it’s complicated_ **

**_Black Queen: it doesn’t have to be_ **

**_Yellow Queen: yeah it does_ **

**_Yellow Queen: how do you think your grandmother would react to a mafia heir dating the daughter of paris’ mayor_ **

**_Black Queen: oh she’d love it_ **

**_Black Queen: more connections, duh_ **

**_Black Queen: Felix would probably love it too tbh_ **

**_Read 11:52 am_ **

**_~_ **

**_12:32 -_ **

**_Yellow Queen: I’m just going to leave this and let you think of what you’ve just done, Mari._ **

  
  


**_The Royal Aces_ **

  
  


**_Yellow Queen: Mari you copied that from discord I know u did_ **

**_Black Queen: and you used ‘u’ and ‘you’ in the same sentence_ **

**_Yellow Queen: whatever_ **

**_Blue King: guys_ **

**_Blue King: the lunch bell is about to ring_ **

**_Blue King: prepare for drama_ **

**_Red Queen: oh look there it is_ **

**_Felix: have fun, suckers_ **

**_Red Queen: you have to fake date Lila._ **

**_Red Queen: who’s the sucker now_ **

**_Felix: Still you guys_ **

**_Yellow Queen: peasant_ **

**_Black Queen: focus._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so i love this chapter so much, and I hope you guys do too.
> 
> And may i just say, CHLOE/FELIX FOREVER ahhh omg i ship them so hard 
> 
> This is actually probably my favourite chapter out of them all XD
> 
> Also props to you if you caught the Bonnie Henry and Theresa Tam references in there!   
> (If you didn’t, they’re the provincial health officers of British Columbia and Ontario) 
> 
> Also the part in the texts where Chloé made a typo (have instead of hate) wasn’t actually planned
> 
> It was a typo.
> 
> And another ‘also’, both Charlie and Keith were (are?) members of the band The Rolling Stones
> 
> So, i couldn’t resist. And Penny is a nickname for Penelope, so that’s why that’s in the name for Jagged and Penny’s kid :D


End file.
